1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swimming simulation system and more particularly pertains to allowing swimmers to exercise and train out of the water and provides a sculling action to build muscle memory and strengthen those muscles used to scull versus the straight back and forth motion described in Prior Art.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of swimming aids of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, swimming aids of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of permitting athletes such as swimmers to exercise and train are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,320 to Huei-Nan Yu discloses a swimming exerciser. U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,676 to Kenneth J. Cymbalisty discloses a crawl swim exerciser. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,472 to Paul Chen discloses a swimming exerciser. U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,564 to Michael P. Doane discloses an exercising apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,363 to Robert J. Kennedy discloses a dry land swimming training apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,740 to John F. Iams and Robson L. Splane, Jr. discloses a exercise machine for simulating swimming motions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,060 to John J. Murray discloses a swimming simulator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,634 to Harry C. Hopkins discloses a swimming simulator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,748 to Oscar L. Little discloses a swimming simulator. U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 to John Profaci discloses a swim training apparatus. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,716 to Carl E. Mitchel and George F. Mitchel discloses a swimming instructing machine and exerciser.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe swimming simulation system that allows muscles to be trained properly and to build the required muscle memory through the sculling action of a side to side and up and down motion.
The prior art does present solutions for out of water swimming exercise but prior art does not offer solution for the sculling action, side to side motion and up and down motion of the actual swim strokes. The present invention offers interchangeable, 4 stroke patterns, not just the Australian Crawl-like strokes.
In this respect, the swimming simulation system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing swimmers to exercise and train out of the water with muscle memory and sculling action.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a swimming simulation system which can be used for allowing swimmers to exercise and train properly out of the water. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of swimming aids of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved swimming simulation system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a swimming simulation system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a swimming simulation system. First provided is a swimmer support which includes an elongated rigid central section in a rectangular configuration with a short front edge and with a short parallel rear edge and with long parallel side edges there between in a generally planar configuration. Padding is on the upper surface for supporting a user. Spaced plates depend downwardly therefrom. An adjustable frame is located beneath the user support and includes a long vertical front rail with a top and a bottom and a short vertical rear rail with a top and a bottom and an angled intermediate rail coupling the tops of the front and rear rails. Transverse support rails couple the bottoms of the front and rear rails. The support and frame have a vertical plane extending centrally there through with lateral sides and a forward end and a rearward end. The support is slidably received upon the frame with the spaced plates spanning the intermediate rail. A pair of similarly configured tracks are provided in a closed loop configuration, one track on each side of the vertical plane. The tracks each have an oval cross sectional configuration and an axial shape corresponding to the movement of the hands of a swimmer doing a predetermined stroke. A plurality of vertical rods, each with an upper end and a lower end are next provided with each upper end being secured to a track at spaced points. A base plate is coupled to the lower ends for properly positioning the track with respect to the support. Lastly, a handle is slidably received on each track with each handle including a C-shaped slider with a slot having a width to allow passage of the handle across the rods. Each handle also has a gripping portion for being held and moved by a user whereby a swimmer may push and pull the handle in a closed loop configuration corresponding to the configuration of the track and thereby simulate a predetermined swimming stroke.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a swimming simulation system which has all of the advantages of the prior art swimming aids of known designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a swimming simulation system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a swimming simulation system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a swimming simulation system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such swimming simulation system economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a swimming simulation system for allowing swimmers to exercise and train out of the water.
Lastly, it is an object. of the present invention to provide an athletic training system comprising a user support for a person using the system having a vertical plane extending centrally there through; a pair of similarly configured looped tracks, one track on each side of the vertical plane, the tracks each having a common cross sectional configuration throughout and an axial shape corresponding to the intended movement of the hands of a user; and a handle slidably received on each track, each handle including a slider and a gripping portion for being held and moved by a user whereby a user may push and pull the handle in a configuration corresponding to the configuration of the track.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.